Hills & Mountains

*I am in the process of redesigning this section to include notes and many more high-res shots*

Includes Glen Affric, Strathfarrar and Mullardoch etc, plus* Torridon and the Fisherfield Forest

The Fisherfield Forest

Beinn a` Chlaidheimh

BEINN A` CHLAIDHEIMH​SGURR BAN

October 1991 (exact date not recorded)

This was the first outing for my North Face Westwind tent, an early Christmas present. This hill is in the heart of prime deer stalking country but I checked confirmed that there was no such activity scheduled. A pal and I set off on the walk-in late afternoon having parked the car beside the A832, just east of Dundonnell. Ignoring the point where the track veers off right, towards Shenavall Bothy we continued for a couple of miles fbefore climbing onto the southern end of Beinn a` Chlaidheimh`s long ridge. The wind quickly rose to gale force and in fading light we dashed up to the summit as increasing amounts of cloud blew over, periodically obscuring the view.

We then dropped down to the low point between `Chlaidheimh and Sgurr Ban, where we decided to camp. Initially we had glimpses of Loch a` Bhrisidh which nestles in a corrie just to the west of the ridge, but the bad weather closed right in. We unrolled the tent and, hanging on for all we were worth, managed to get it pitched. Once inside, my pal, who`d said he`d take care of the main meal - chicken casserole, set everything up in the bell-end of the tent. He got his stove, tins and pots out and a wee box of the well advertised Scottish Bluebell matches - with about a dozen matches in it! Needless to say, with the wind howling under the flap the matches were blown out as soon as they were struck. I had lifeboat windproof matches at home but he had insisted that if I carried the tent he would carry the full works for the grub. Both starving, there was nothing else for it but to start munching the cold chicken!

It was a wild night with only short lulls between gusts, when a tremendous roar announced the build up of another blast which shot blasted up the west side of the mountain and struck the tent with full force. It was a good test for my 4-season tent which passed with flying colours. Needless to say we never slept a wink.

By the following morning the wind speed had dropped considerably but cloud still clung to the tops. We made the short detour up the extensive scree slopes to Sgurr Ban but got no view. The whole hillside was littered with very unstable scree, including lots of large blocks, which were easily dislodged. Just the stuff to trap an ankle. We discovered a small dry-stane dyke type emergency shelter made from the larger stones. It was roofed and very sturdy but would be tricky to find if the visibility was bad. Back at the saddle, we collected the tent, headed back to the car - and stopped for a hot meal at the first opportunity!

A` Mhaighean & Ruadh Stac Mor

​A` MHAIGHDEAN RUADH STAC MOR

2 November 1991 ​

I climbed another couple of the group known as the Fisherfield Six on Saturday 2 November 1991 during a bothy weekend. Most of the others had made their way up by minibus on the Thursday but I drove up alone on Friday afternoon so, by the time I`d set off along the track to Shenevall it was dark. Fortunately it was a reasonably clear night but the six-mile walk-in seemed never ending, especially on the badly eroded section that skirts the foot of Sail Liath, the southernmost peak of An Teallach. Laden down with a packed rucksack and additonal bags containing cairry-oot and coal, I was glad to see a light in the distance, which turned out to be not the bothy itself but someone outside with a head-torch.

​The bothy was quite busy and several tents were pitched outside. Several members of our group had done the Fishefield Six on the Friday so opted for a lie-in on Saturday and others had their own plans. I decided to climb A` Mhaighean and Ruadh Stac Mor, two of the country`s remotest Munros, but not too taxing a prospect for anyone staying at Shenavall. I set off with one chap who, after a couple of miles, headed towards Beinn Dearg Mor and Beinn Dearg Bheag, two Corbetts which overlook the bothy, so I had my target peaks to myself.

The cloud base was quite low but lifted to give me a good view west over Fionn Loch as I reached the top of Ruadh Stac Mor. After the short continuation to the much-prized summit of A` Mhaighdean, I decided to leave the next Munro, Beinn Tarsuinn, for another day and returned to Shenevall. By this time the guys who had arrived on the Thursday had ran out of bevy, so decided to walk to the Dundonnell Hotel - a twelve mile round trip - for a carry-out! By coincidence Scotland were playing England at Rugby and they got there on time to see the game on the hotel`s TV. By the time they got back, it was a full house and the musicians amongst us were in great form.

The Fannich Forest

Intro*

A` CHAILLEACH SGURR BREAC

​Saturday 4 March 1995​Loch a` Bhraoin bothy is used by stalkers and shepherds of the Lochbroom estate but is usually available to hillwalkers outwith the stalking season. It was about 11p.m. before the group left the van due to a few pints at the Altguish Inn enroute and the walk-in seemed never ending along the frozen loch`s rough northern shore.

The following morning most, including myself, decided on A` Chailleach and Sgurr Breac, the nearest Munros to the bothy. It was an excellent start to the day and the hills had a substantial covering of new snow which made for heavy going. Conditions began to deteriorate when we left the summit of A` Chailleach and the gales opened up wild views through the cloud. After Sgurr Breac, we dropped back down towards the loch which had strange circular patterns of ice on its frozen surface. Several Ptarmigans, low down on the slopes, were huddling together in the snow to shelter from the storm.

Despite the relatively small group it was a good night. The musicians among us had lugged in their guitars and bodhrans as usual. Even one of the guy`s dog got pissed! On the Sunday when I was walking out I disturbed a couple of birds, possibly Black-Throated or Northern Divers which flew off over the loch, making an eerie call.

​Tuesday 9 March 1999​I left the house at midnight and dozed for a couple of hours in the car before setting off from Loch Droma at 7 a.m. A fine, still morning with well broken cloud which made it unseasonably warm on the walk in. As I plodded up the long whale-back towards the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich an RAF Tornado made a low pass northwards, silhouetted against the snow-covered peaks of the Beinn Dearg range. ​It was heavy going in the wet snow and the wind picked up, which forced me to don a couple of extra layers. Bad weather blew in as I neared the top of the second Munro, Sgurr Mor, and unfortunately I saw nothing from it`s large circular cairn. I remained enveloped in cloud for the next hour as I followed the ridge which led to the next top and this section surprisingly held little snow, but was very icy underfoot, thanks to the strong winds. The visibility slowly improved and I saw a flock of around thirty Snow Buntings land nearby. These, apart from a few pairs of Ptarmigan, were the only birds seen on the high tops.

s I neared the second-last summit I was surprised to see another walker coming up from the opposite direction. It was an English woman who`d taken the stalker`s path from Fannaich Lodge, after cycling in along the private road. She told me that she`d organised a `Last Munro Party` for family and friends in a couple of weeks and was furiously trying to complete her remaining hills. After today`s efforts she had only five Munros left to do! She quickly headed off and I made my way down to the bealach where I donned crampons for the headwall. The wind had settled and once again there was blue sky.

The return to the car was a real slog - four miles across very rough and boggy ground, with large patches of soft snow which rarely bore my weight. It was tedious and exhausting and luckily no one was around to hear the swearing! Eleven and a half hours for the round trip - a combination of lack of fitness and poor conditions underfoot! Fortunately, I`d booked into the Aultguish Inn`s Bunkhouse for the night, and didn`t have far to drive. After a hot bath, which was included in the price, I wandered over to the Inn for a bar meal. Apart from the owners and the barman, I was the only person there! I downed a couple of pints while I watched `Who Wants to be a Millionaire?` on TV and was tucked-up in my sleeping bag by 10 o`clock!

MEALL A` CHRASGAIDHSGURR NAN CLACH GEALASGURR NAN EACH

​Monday 21 June 1999

The longest day of year - pity it wasn`t the sunniest! Despite a reasonable forecast, an unbroken blanket of cloud covered the Fannichs and it began to rain and as I climbed Meall a` Chrasgaidh. There was even a hail shower with a few flakes of snow thrown in for good measure but I made good time and reached the summit in under two hours. As these hills are considered by many to be the Fannichs` finest, I was more than disappointed to find the ridge clagged-in. Sgurr nan Clach Geala was a washout but, at the southern end of the ridge, the cloud thinned out momentarily to allow a view into the large corrie to the east. It`s river, hundreds of feet below, looked wild with large areas of white water dotted throughout its length. Fifteen minutes after I made my way down from the the last top the clouds began to slowly lift and blew clear of the summit. At least I could appreciate the scale of my surroundings and the walk back was more enjoyable but very wet underfoot. I discovered a nest, possibly a Meadow Pipit`s on the lower slopes of Sgurr nan Each. I`d planned to camp out and do another Munro the following day but the gales and stormy skies persuaded me to drive home right away.

​FIONN BHEINN

Date not recorded​​This hill, the only Munro of the Fannaichs to lie south of Loch Fannich, is easily ascended from Achnasheen railway station. It makes for a relatively short day and a group of friends and I took the opportunity to climb it on the way home after a couple of nights in Coire Fionnaraich Bothy. It was a bright, sunny day with plenty of snow on the upper slopes adding to the glare. On the summit, just like Maol Chean-dearg, which I`d climbed the previous day, the wind had blown loose snow clear of a long line of compacted footprints, which led towards the cairn.

Slioch

SLIOCH (980m)

Monday 14 October 2002

The castle-like summit of Slioch dominates the head of Loch Maree, particularly when seen from the A832 Garve to Gairloch road which runs along the loch`s opposite, western shore. The classic calendar view of the mountain is from Grudie Bridge but I`ve never managed to get a decent shot from there and had to settle for the above standard shot on the walk-in. (slideshow to follow*)​

The usual route of ascent begins at Incheril, a small settlement approximately 1km east of Kinlochewe, and leads along the north-east side of the Kinlochewe River to Loch Maree. The Beinn Eighe massif lies beyond the west side of the river and is the easternmost of the magnificent Torridon peaks. The quartzite on its tops can often be mistaken for a dusting of snow in summer. Loch Maree`s eastern shore is followed to the Abhainn an Fhasaigh, crossed by a footbridge, after which the Gleann Bianasdail path, branching off towards Lochan Fada and Letterewe, is taken.

Two kilometres later, this stream meets the Tuill Bhain flowing down from Slioch`s SE corrie and this burn can be followed almost to the top. The steep terrain here is a haunt of feral goats and Red Deer. I discovered that Slioch`s main summit, topped by a trig point, is not the best viewpoint, with either of the subsidiary tops being the better option. The clouds came and went as I was walking round the ridge to the eastern subsidiary of Sgurr an Tuill Bhain. As is often the case on the Scottish hills, clouds blew in temporarily, totally blocking out the summit views. Luckily it wasn`t too long before the wind moved the clouds along. (to edit*)